Aston Martin opens its first Heritage Showroom at Newport Pagnell

Aston Martin has opened its first ever ‘Heritage Showroom’ at Aston Martin Works in Newport Pagnell. It’s the culmination of a two year refurbishment of the 100 year old Olympia building which has been central to the Aston Martin story since its move to Newport Pagnell in 1957.

Aston Martin Works will now be able to sell cars directly from its HQ, adding to the on-going provision of servicing and of course, its world-renowned restoration division.

Together with the state-of-the-art modern car showroom, which was opened just over a year ago, the Heritage Showroom offers customers the unique experience of being able to view and compare cars from every era of Aston Martin’s 100 year history, up to and including the DB7.

It also offers a comfortable ‘club-like’ space for launches, special events, seminars and conferences being decorated in a period style, complete with displays of memorabilia from the factory heritage collection.

The building, once an aeroplane hangar, became known as Olympia due to its similarity to the famous Olympia building in London and has fulfilled many functions over the years, including use as a machine shop, trim shop and as a service department. Latterly it became the panel shop and home to craftsmen restoring the bodywork of Aston Martin classics.

Aston Martin models from the DB4 through to the original Vanquish were made in Newport Pagnell, with bodies for the DB2/4 Mk 2 model made prior to this by the Tickford coachbuilding company. David Brown, then owner of Aston Martin, acquired Tickford in 1955 and two years later consolidated production of all Aston Martin Lagonda models. The marque remained there until July 2007, when all production thereafter moved to the brand’s global headquarters in Gaydon.

Graham Darby, General Manager Operations added: “The redevelopment means Aston Martin Works has become a ‘one-stop shop’ for everything Aston Martin and we are able to offer some unique services here at Newport Pagnell.”

“Stand-out examples within the heritage department alone include making replacement panels for restorations on the original factory bucks used when the cars were built here; the ability to manufacture parts which are no longer available for our heritage cars and an enhanced engine build shop for six cylinder and V8 heritage engines.”